SB-0517, As Passed Senate, November 30, 2004                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

    SUBSTITUTE FOR                                                              

                                                                                

    SENATE BILL NO. 517                                                         

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1984 PA 427, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Municipal employees retirement act of 1984,"                               

                                                                                

    by amending sections 2a, 2b, and 36 (MCL 38.1502a, 38.1502b, and            

                                                                                

    38.1536), as amended by 1996 PA 220; and to repeal acts and parts           

                                                                                

    of acts.                                                                    

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 2a.  (1) "Certification date" means  the date certified                

                                                                                

2   in the election results filed with the secretary of state                   

                                                                                

3   pursuant to enacting section 4 of the amendatory act that added             

                                                                                

4   this sentence  August 15, 1996.                                             

                                                                                

5       (2) "Chief judge" means the chief judge of a judicial circuit               

                                                                                

6   court, a judicial district court, or a judicial probate court as            

                                                                                

7   provided in the revised judicature act of 1961,  Act No. 236 of             

                                                                                

8   the Public Acts of 1961, being sections 600.101 to 600.9947 of              

                                                                                

9   the Michigan Compiled Laws  1961 PA 236, MCL 600.101 to                     

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   600.9948.                                                                   

                                                                                

2       (3) "Governing body" means the representative legislative                   

                                                                                

3   body of a municipality, or the administrative board or commission           

                                                                                

4   of a public corporation or instrumentality that does not have a             

                                                                                

5   representative legislative body.                                            

                                                                                

6       (4) "Judicial circuit court" means a judicial circuit of the                

                                                                                

7   circuit court as provided in section 11 of article VI of the                

                                                                                

8   state constitution of 1963.                                                 

                                                                                

9       (5) "Judicial district court" means a judicial district of                  

                                                                                

10  the district court as provided in section 8101 of the revised               

                                                                                

11  judicature act of 1961,  Act No. 236 of the Public Acts of 1961,            

                                                                                

12  being section 600.8101 of the Michigan Compiled Laws  1961 PA               

                                                                                

13  236, MCL 600.8101.                                                          

                                                                                

14      (6) "Judicial probate court" means a county probate court or                

                                                                                

15  probate court district as provided in section 15 of article VI of           

                                                                                

16  the state constitution of 1963.                                             

                                                                                

17      Sec. 2b.  (1) "Member" means an individual who is included                  

                                                                                

18  in the membership of the retirement system, as determined by the            

                                                                                

19  retirement board.                                                           

                                                                                

20      (2) "Municipality"  means a county, county road commission,                 

                                                                                

21  city, village, township, or a combination of these units; a                 

                                                                                

22  lawful public corporation or instrumentality established by 1 or            

                                                                                

23  more counties, cities, villages, townships, or a combination of             

                                                                                

24  these units; or a public corporation or instrumentality charged             

                                                                                

25  by law with the performance of a governmental function and whose            

                                                                                

26  jurisdiction is coextensive with 1 or more counties, cities,                

                                                                                

27  villages, townships, or a combination of these units.  means 1 or           


                                                                                

1   more of the following:                                                      

                                                                                

2       (a) A county, county road commission, city, village, or                     

                                                                                

3   township.                                                                   

                                                                                

4       (b) A public corporation or instrumentality established by 1                

                                                                                

5   or more counties, cities, villages, or townships.                           

                                                                                

6       (c) A public corporation or instrumentality charged by law                  

                                                                                

7   with the performance of a governmental function and whose                   

                                                                                

8   jurisdiction is coextensive with 1 or more counties, cities,                

                                                                                

9   villages, or townships.                                                     

                                                                                

10      (d) A political subdivision located in this state or located                

                                                                                

11  in this and another adjacent state of the United States,                    

                                                                                

12  including, but not limited to, the entities named in subdivision            

                                                                                

13  (a), (b), or (c), or any combination of those units.                        

                                                                                

14      (e) A political subdivision located in this state and a                     

                                                                                

15  metropolitan government borough, or other political subdivision             

                                                                                

16  of the province of Ontario, an agency of the United States, or a            

                                                                                

17  similar entity of adjacent states of the United States and the              

                                                                                

18  province of Ontario.                                                        

                                                                                

19      (f) A state university, community college, or junior college                

                                                                                

20  whose employees are not public school employees who are members             

                                                                                

21  under the public school employees retirement act of 1979, 1980 PA           

                                                                                

22  300, MCL 38.1301 to 38.1408.                                                

                                                                                

23      (g) Any municipal corporation as defined in section 1(a) of                 

                                                                                

24  1951 PA 35, MCL 124.1, or other governmental entity that is                 

                                                                                

25  eligible to join the retirement system and participate in any               

                                                                                

26  program under this act, as determined by the retirement board.              

                                                                                

27      Sec. 36.  (1) A retirement board is created to administer                   


                                                                                

1   this act.  Before the certification date, the retirement board              

                                                                                

2   shall operate within the department of management and budget.  On           

                                                                                

3   and after the certification date, the retirement system shall               

                                                                                

4   become a public corporation and shall no longer operate within              

                                                                                

5   the executive branch of this state.                                         

                                                                                

6       (2) On and after the certification date, the retirement board               

                                                                                

7   has all of the following powers and duties:                                 

                                                                                

8       (a) The retirement board shall determine and establish all of               

                                                                                

9   the provisions of the retirement system affecting benefit                   

                                                                                

10  eligibility, benefit programs, contribution amounts, and the                

                                                                                

11  election of municipalities, judicial circuit courts, judicial               

                                                                                

12  district courts, and judicial probate courts to be governed by              

                                                                                

13  the provisions of the retirement system.  The retirement board              

                                                                                

14  shall establish all retirement system provisions.  As of 12:01              

                                                                                

15  a.m. on the certification date, the retirement system provisions            

                                                                                

16  shall not differ materially from the defined benefit provisions             

                                                                                

17  that are in effect under this act at 11:59 p.m. on the day                  

                                                                                

18  immediately  preceding  before the certification date.  This                

                                                                                

19  subdivision does not limit the retirement board's authority after           

                                                                                

20  the certification date to establish additional programs including           

                                                                                

21  but not limited to defined benefit,  and  defined contribution,             

                                                                                

22  ancillary benefits, health and welfare benefits, and other                  

                                                                                

23  postemployment benefit programs.  The retirement board may adopt            

                                                                                

24  the provisions of the reciprocal retirement act,  Act No. 88 of             

                                                                                

25  the Public Acts of 1961, being sections 38.1101 to 38.1106 of the           

                                                                                

26  Michigan Compiled Laws  1961 PA 88, MCL 38.1101 to 38.1106, on              

                                                                                

27  behalf of the employees of the retirement board.  in the manner             


                                                                                

1   prescribed in Act No. 88 of the Public Acts of 1961.                        

                                                                                

2       (b) The retirement board has the full and exclusive authority               

                                                                                

3   and full responsibility to employ and pay for all professional              

                                                                                

4   services including but not limited to actuarial, investment,                

                                                                                

5   legal, accounting, and any other services that the retirement               

                                                                                

6   board considers necessary for the proper operation of the                   

                                                                                

7   retirement system.  The power granted to the retirement board in            

                                                                                

8   this subdivision includes complete control of the procurement               

                                                                                

9   process.                                                                    

                                                                                

10      (c) The retirement board shall appoint  an  a chief executive               

                                                                                

11  director  officer and any other employees for which the                    

                                                                                

12  retirement board establishes positions.  The retirement board               

                                                                                

13  shall establish the compensation of all persons appointed by the            

                                                                                

14  board.   Before the certification date, the retirement board                

                                                                                

15  shall offer all employees of the retirement system a position               

                                                                                

16  with the public corporation for a guaranteed period of at least 1           

                                                                                

17  year.  An employee who accepts a position with the newly formed             

                                                                                

18  public corporation shall become an employee of the public                   

                                                                                

19  corporation on the certification date.  On and after the                    

                                                                                

20  certification date, a person employed by the public corporation             

                                                                                

21  is not an employee of this state for any purpose.                           

                                                                                

22      (d) The retirement board shall arrange for an annual                        

                                                                                

23  actuarial valuation and report of the actuarial soundness of each           

                                                                                

24  participating municipality and court to be prepared by an                   

                                                                                

25  independent actuary based upon data compiled and supplied by                

                                                                                

26  employees of the retirement system.  The retirement board shall             

                                                                                

27  adopt actuarial tables, assumptions, and formulas after                     


                                                                                

1   consultation with the actuary.                                              

                                                                                

2       (e) The retirement board shall arrange for annual audits of                 

                                                                                

3   the records and accounts of the retirement system by a certified            

                                                                                

4   public accountant or by a firm of certified public accountants              

                                                                                

5   pursuant to generally accepted auditing standards and the uniform           

                                                                                

6   budgeting and accounting act,  Act No. 2 of the Public Acts of              

                                                                                

7   1968, being sections 141.421 to 141.440a of the Michigan Compiled           

                                                                                

8   Laws  1968 PA 2, MCL 141.421 to 141.440a.                                   

                                                                                

9       (f) The retirement board shall prepare an annual report for                 

                                                                                

10  each fiscal year in compliance with generally accepted accounting           

                                                                                

11  principles.  The report shall contain information regarding the             

                                                                                

12  financial, actuarial, and other activities of the retirement                

                                                                                

13  system during the fiscal year.  The retirement board shall                  

                                                                                

14  furnish a copy of the annual report to the governor  ,  and a               

                                                                                

15  copy in print or electronic format to each  member  house of the            

                                                                                

16  legislature, each participating municipality, and each                      

                                                                                

17  participating court.  The retirement board shall make the report            

                                                                                

18  available to all members upon request.  The report shall also               

                                                                                

19  contain a review of the actuarial valuation required under                  

                                                                                

20  subdivision (d), if available.                                              

                                                                                

21      (g) The retirement board shall appoint an attorney to be the                

                                                                                

22  legal advisor of the board and to represent the board in all                

                                                                                

23  proceedings.                                                                

                                                                                

24      (h) The retirement board shall appoint or employ custodians                 

                                                                                

25  of the assets of the retirement system.  The custodians shall               

                                                                                

26  perform all duties necessary and incidental to the custodial                

                                                                                

27  responsibility and make disbursements of authorized retirement              


                                                                                

1   system payments from the funds of the retirement system.                    

                                                                                

2       (i) The retirement board shall perform other functions that                 

                                                                                

3   are required for the execution of the provisions of this act.               

                                                                                

4       (j) The retirement board shall establish the time and                       

                                                                                

5   location of the meetings of the retirement board and the time and           

                                                                                

6   location of the annual meeting of the retirement system,                    

                                                                                

7   consistent with the provisions of the open meetings act,  Act               

                                                                                

8   No. 267 of the Public Acts of 1976, being sections 15.261 to                

                                                                                

9   15.275 of the Michigan Compiled Laws  1976 PA 267, MCL 15.261 to            

                                                                                

10  15.275.                                                                     

                                                                                

11      (3) Before the certification date, the provisions of the                    

                                                                                

12  executive organization act of 1965,  Act No. 380 of the Public              

                                                                                

13  Acts of 1965, being sections 16.101 to 16.608 of the Michigan               

                                                                                

14  Compiled Laws  1965 PA 380, MCL 16.101 to 16.608, and the                   

                                                                                

15  management and budget act,  Act No. 431 of the Public Acts of               

                                                                                

16  1984, being sections 18.1101 to 18.1594 of the Michigan Compiled            

                                                                                

17  Laws  1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1101 to 18.1594, shall govern the                 

                                                                                

18  administrative functions of the retirement system.  However, any            

                                                                                

19  provision of law in actual conflict with the provisions of the              

                                                                                

20  amendatory act that added this sentence shall not apply.                    

                                                                                

21      (4) On and after the certification date, the retirement board               

                                                                                

22  consists of the following 9 members, each of whom, excepting the            

                                                                                

23  retiree member and the retirement board appointees, shall be from           

                                                                                

24  a different county at the time of appointment:                              

                                                                                

25      (a) Two members appointed by the retirement board who have                  

                                                                                

26  knowledge or experience in retirement systems, administration of            

                                                                                

27  retirement systems, or investment management or advisory                    


                                                                                

1   services.                                                                   

                                                                                

2       (b) One member who is a retiree of the system  , nominated                  

                                                                                

3   appointed by the board.  and elected by the delegates to an                 

                                                                                

4   annual meeting of the retirement system.                                    

                                                                                

5       (c) Three members of the retirement system who are officers                 

                                                                                

6   of participating municipalities or  of participating  courts, who           

                                                                                

7   shall be designated as officer board members.                               

                                                                                

8       (d) Three employee members of the retirement system who are                 

                                                                                

9   not officers of a participating municipality or  of a                       

                                                                                

10  participating  court, who shall be designated as employee board             

                                                                                

11  members.                                                                    

                                                                                

12      (5) On the certification date, all officer and employee                     

                                                                                

13  board members shall continue as board members until their term of           

                                                                                

14  office expires.  The state treasurer shall no longer be a board             

                                                                                

15  member on and after the certification date.  The initial terms of           

                                                                                

16  the 3 newly established board positions will be set by the                  

                                                                                

17  retirement board to coincide with the terms of the existing                 

                                                                                

18  elected board members.  Following expiration of the term of                 

                                                                                

19  office of the existing elected board members, subsections (7)               

                                                                                

20  through (10) shall govern.                                                  

                                                                                

21      (5)  (6)  The retirement board shall adopt its own rules of                 

                                                                                

22  procedure and shall keep a record of its proceedings.  Five                 

                                                                                

23  members of the retirement board shall constitute a quorum at any            

                                                                                

24  meeting of the retirement board and at least 5 concurring votes             

                                                                                

25  shall be necessary for any decision by the retirement board.                

                                                                                

26  Each member of the retirement board shall be entitled to 1 vote             

                                                                                

27  on each question before the retirement board.                               


                                                                                

1       (6)  (7)  The regular term of office of members of the                      

                                                                                

2   retirement board is 3 years.  Each member of the retirement board           

                                                                                

3   shall take an oath of office before assuming the duties of the              

                                                                                

4   position.   The oath of office shall be filed with the secretary            

                                                                                

5   of state.  Members of the retirement board shall serve without              

                                                                                

6   compensation with respect to their duties, but shall be                     

                                                                                

7   reimbursed by the retirement system for their actual and                    

                                                                                

8   necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.             

                                                                                

9   A participating municipality or  participating  court employing a           

                                                                                

10  member of the retirement board shall treat absences from work on            

                                                                                

11  account of retirement board business in such a manner that the              

                                                                                

12  individual does not suffer loss of pay or benefits.                         

                                                                                

13      (7)  (8)  A vacancy shall occur on the retirement board upon                

                                                                                

14  the occurrence of any of the following events:                              

                                                                                

15      (a) An officer board member ceases to be eligible for                       

                                                                                

16  nomination as an officer board member.                                      

                                                                                

17      (b) An employee board member ceases to be eligible for                      

                                                                                

18  nomination as an employee board member.                                     

                                                                                

19      (c) Failure to attend 3 consecutive scheduled meetings of the               

                                                                                

20  retirement board, unless excused for cause by majority vote of              

                                                                                

21  the board members attending the meeting.                                    

                                                                                

22      (8)  (9)  A vacancy occurring on the retirement board at                    

                                                                                

23  least 120 days before the expiration of a term of office shall be           

                                                                                

24  filled by the retirement board.  Board appointments under this              

                                                                                

25  subsection shall be for the period ending on the December 31 next           

                                                                                

26  following the date of the vacancy.  For the officer board members           

                                                                                

27  and employee board members, a replacement for any further portion           


                                                                                

1   of the unexpired term shall be filled pursuant to section 45.               

                                                                                

2   For the 2 appointed board members and the retiree board member, a           

                                                                                

3   replacement for any further portion of the unexpired term shall             

                                                                                

4   be filled pursuant to subsection (4).                                       

                                                                                

5       (9)  (10)  The retirement board shall select from its members               

                                                                                

6   a chairperson and a chairperson pro-tem.                                    

                                                                                

7       (10)  (11)  The retirement board shall employ  an  a chief                  

                                                                                

8   executive  director  officer.  The chief executive  director                

                                                                                

9   officer shall do all of the following:                                      

                                                                                

10      (a) Manage and administer the retirement system under the                   

                                                                                

11  supervision and direction of the retirement board.                          

                                                                                

12      (b) Invest the assets of the retirement system, as directed                 

                                                                                

13  by the retirement board, consistent with  Act No. 314 of the                

                                                                                

14  Public Acts of 1965, being sections 38.1132 to 38.1140i of the              

                                                                                

15  Michigan Compiled Laws  the public employee retirement system               

                                                                                

16  investment act, 1965 PA 314, MCL 38.1132 to 38.1140m, which act             

                                                                                

17  governs the investment of assets of public employee retirement              

                                                                                

18  systems.                                                                    

                                                                                

19      (c) Annually prepare and submit to the retirement board for                 

                                                                                

20  review, amendment, and adoption an itemized budget showing the              

                                                                                

21  amount required to pay the retirement system's expenses for the             

                                                                                

22  following fiscal year.                                                      

                                                                                

23      (d) Perform other duties as the retirement board, in its                    

                                                                                

24  discretion, shall delegate to the chief executive  director                 

                                                                                

25  officer.                                                                    

                                                                                

26      Enacting section 1.  Section 36a of the municipal employees                 

                                                                                

27  retirement act of 1984, 1984 PA 427, MCL 38.1536a, is repealed.